The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1887-04-14

Ee,u York Sun,
The municipal elections inKansas Tues.
day were unusually interesting, because
for the frat time women voted at them.
10 far as the number OF votes cast by
women was concerned, the experiment
seems to have worked successfully. In
twenty.six towns Il, 500 women had regis.
tered, and in Leavenworth and Lawrence,
where the Contcata were most exciting,
they were greatly Ggitatod over the Issues
involved, or which they imagined TO be
involved, in the election Of municipal oil.
GERS, 80 that In Lesvenworth, out OF a
total registration Of about 1000, there
were 2,G73 women, while In Lawrence
one.halt OF the registration was OF women.
But at Atchison, one OF the largest towns
OF tho State, only $3.50 women were regis.
tered, noarly one.third Of whom were col.
ored, the disposition to take advantage OF
their new privilege being everywhere
more general among the colorod than the
white women.
The introduction Of women to the bal.
lot does not, however, Beem to have tho
expected result Of purifying the election
methods, at least In ouch contests as those
Of 1.eayenworth and Lawrence. In tho
papers OF Leavenworth representing tho
different parties charges OF corruption
were freely exchanged before the election
and even women were accused OF lying
and bribery. The Leavenworth Times
asserted that the names had been obtain.
ed oil two prominent women who have
offered money TO colored women to vote
for Neeley," tho Democratic candidate
Tor Mayor, The Leayenworth cores.
pondent Of tho Kansas City Times declar.
ed, on tho other hand, that Mrs. Helen
NJ. Cougar, whom he called IAN Indiana
Importation" had been spreading wick
ed slanders against the fair fame OF
Leavenworth's daughters." The specific
allegation was thatIMrs. Cougar, a woman.
suffrage advocate, had made the extra.
ordinary statement that the upper stratum
Of social life in Leavenworth was fright
fully licentlous, owing to tho presence OF
the military post at Fort. Leavenworth,
with tslarge number OF army officers"
vi course, the women were chiefly in
terested IN the temperance question and
the question OF the social evil. At Leay-
enworth their Election Committee issued
an address to their "dear SISTERS" in
which, alter eaying that "as women, we
will leave the discussion Of financial aifaira
to men voters" they proceed to attack the
"open saloons, with their attendant evils.
and the licensed brothels that are and
have been permitted by our City Admin
istration." At meeting OF 800 women,
held in the Congregational church OF the
town, Mrs. Cougar presented thsrepo,t Of
committee OF ladies who had visited the
disreputab!e houses, and accompanied it
with series OF resolutions as to the abste-
ment OF the social evil. The resolutions,
which were unanimously adopted, demand
that all women "who persist in their evil
course shall be promptly arrested and
fined, not to exceed 81 q day for ten days,
with the privilege OF leaving the city
within the time" In the event OF their
refusal to go they are to be sent up In the
county Jail "lor a term sufficient to offset
the fine." The arrest and heavy fine OF
men frequenting disreputable houses arc
demanded, and the publication in the
daily pap, y: 4. ! 'ity Of the "full and
pr rr- 1.sulcG vi ri. sarh nen,"
lst it seems that by the aid OF the
women the Republican candidate for
Mayor Of Lawrence WAS elected by the
largest majority ever given to n Mayor of
the town, although allegations OF immor.
ality had been made against him. In gen.
eral, the introduction of women voters has
been to increase the Republican vote, but
otherwise it does not appear to have pro-
duced any considerable change.
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